The reforms will also help nine out of 10 pubs with a £1,000 discount on their rates in 2017, and councils will be given a £300million fund to deliver "discretionary relief" to hard-pressed firms in their areas.

The Chancellor seemed to break with the 2015 manifesto pledge not to raise taxes

And despite promising to help families feeling the squeeze the changes will earn the Treasury more than £1.5billion.

Instead he insisted he wanted to build on the plan set out in the Autumn Statement, and contention to build "on the foundation of our economic strength, reaching out to seize the opportunities that lie ahead".

He said despite the British economy growing faster than every major country bar Germany, there” is no room for complacency”.

He got a pat on the back from Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke

Delivering his speech on International Women’s day, Mr Hammond also included a package of funding for female-focused projects.

At least £5million will be handed to projects to celebrate this centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which gave women the vote.

There is an £20million of funding to support the campaign against Violence Against Women and Girls.

And there is another £5million to promote ‘returnships’ - helping people back into employment after a career break.

Congratulating him on the package, Mrs May said the Budget will provide "a long-term plan for Britain which puts the wheels in motion for a future of growth and prosperity", according to a Downing Street spokesman.

But Jeremy Corbyn accused the Chancellor of delivering a Budget showing "utter complacency" over the state of the economy.

Responding to the statement the Labour leader claimed Mr Hammond failed to understand the realities of daily life for millions of people and the "crisis" facing public services.

Mr Corbyn responded by saying it showed "utter complacency" over the state of the economy

He said: "This was a Budget of utter complacency about the state of our economy.

"Utter complacency about the crisis facing our public services and complacent about the reality of daily life for millions of people in this country.

"Entirely out of touch with that reality of life for millions."

He accused the Government of "cutting services and living standards of the many to fund and continue to fund the tax cuts of the few", and suggested the wealthiest are in line to receive £7 billion in "tax giveaways" over the next five years.

He said: "The Prime Minister came to office talking about fighting burning injustices.

"Less than nine months later she seems to have forgotten all about them because none of them are being fought today."

He said it was a particular "insult" to workers in the public sector, who he said were working harder than ever to make up for cuts to staff.

Mr Corbyn added: "This is a Chancellor and a Government not on the side of the workers, not on the side of the taxpayers, who pick up the bill for low pay and insecure work."

And the creation of a new generation of grammar schools was branded a "vanity project" by the Labour leader.

Mr Corbyn said: "Over the coming years the schools budget is being cut by 8%. Does the Chancellor really want fewer teachers and teaching assistants, larger classes, shorter school days? Which is it?

"I agree with the Prime Minister that every child deserves a decent education, every community deserves decent schools. You do it by working with those communities to provide those schools, not planting into them selective schools which are not being demanded by those communities.

"The money announced by the Prime Minister yesterday for new grammar schools is, frankly, a vanity project. Cancel this gimmick, reject selection and segregation."